The issue of sexual assault and the challenges victims face are often discussed, but the role of those who assist them tends to go unnoticed.
Nurses and victim advocates combine efforts to provide safety and services for sexual assault victims while educating the public about the issue. But this only scratches the surface of what Madison's Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners and Rape Crisis Center advocates confront every day.
When the RCC receives a phone call from a victim, its advocates accompany them to the hospital. And when the victim reaches Meriter Hospital, a SANE nurse offers a medical exam and together they determine the victim's medical care plan.
SANE nurses and RCC advocates balance compassion for victims with the professionalism necessary to do their jobs well, according to Meriter Hospital SANE coordinator Kim Curran.
No matter how much training the nurses and advocates receive, each case requires an individualized approach.
""Even the highest trained advocates can't prepare [for] … being present with parents whose two-year-old is getting a sexual assault exam because they've been molested,"" RCC executive director Kelly Anderson said.
At the same time, Anderson said it is imperative that advocates maintain their professionalism.
""You're not any good by joining them in their pain,"" Anderson said.
According to Curran, the stress that accompanies this work can become overwhelming at times.
To alleviate that stress, nurses and advocates may choose to attend monthly meetings in which they share testimonies and thoughts to remind each other that no one is alone.
""Some nurses journal and write out their emotions on paper,"" Curran said. ""When I need to de-stress, I exercise and make sure I have a day off every now and then.""
The SANE nurses at Meriter Hospital are available 24 hours a day to help victims understand their options.
Reporting to law enforcement and seeking a medical exam are among victims' choices, and victims ultimately decide whether to receive medical attention.
""I always encourage victims to have an exam for their own well-being, however not all victims want an exam,"" Curran said. ""It's their right as an individual to refuse it.""
Although the nurses at Meriter and the advocates at the RCC are a large part of the victims' journeys in coping, their work has a greater focus as well, according to Anderson.
""When you get over 385 people [coming] in and all you do is take phone calls, it gets disheartening over time,"" Anderson said. ""It's important to know and feel in our soul that we're a part of … a broader movement that's not just providing services, but also creating change.
""If it wasn't we would burn out a lot faster.""
The nurses and advocates use these pieces of reality to build solutions not just for the victims, but also for community members who they encouraged to participate.
The RCC offers resources for both relief and community education through its offices on Coho Street on Madison's south side and the UW-Madison campus. Resources include self-defense classes, volunteer opportunities and its Imagine program, which helps increase awareness of sexual assault among high school students.
Ultimately, Anderson said, through it all, the Rape Crisis Center will continue to provide services.
""Rape Crisis Center has been here since 1973,"" Anderson said. ""We plan to be here for another 40 years at least.""
